If you are an adolescent age 12-19 with a mental health concern, a caregiver for such an adolescent, or a mental health provider, please join us for this workshop!The third in a series of four community workshops, this event will feature presentations by Dr. Sybil Knight-Burney, superintendent of the Harrisburg School District, and Mark Heinly, M.D., child and adolescent psychiatrist, who will address the question facing the parents of many adolescents: are these behaviors part of adolescence, or is my child exhibiting symptoms of a mental health issue? The evening will also include a presentation and exercise on how to build your own mental health “toolbox” by Ruth Hope Woodlen, executive director of the Mental Health Association of the Capital Region.Seating is limited. RSVP by September 26 and include attendee names, phone number, and e-mail.

Adolescent relationship abuse is prevalent and associated with poor sexual health outcomes. This presentation will review research on relationship abuse and discuss implications for adolescent pregnancy prevention and sexual health promotion. One potential mechanism linking adolescent relationship abuse with unintended pregnancy is male partners’ control of women’s reproduction (reproductive coercion) through active interference with contraception (birth control sabotage), behaviors to promote pregnancy (pregnancy pressure), and attempts to control the outcomes of a pregnancy (pregnancy coercion). This presentation will review qualitative and quantitative studies on partner violence and reproductive coercion, including data from a pilot intervention study in family planning clinics and school health centers. Implications of research findings for both clinic-based interventions and prevention of adolescent relationship abuse and unintended pregnancy will be discussed. Learning objectives:

To describe the dynamics of adolescent relationship abuse and reproductive coercion and impact on adolescent sexual health

To identify opportunities for relationship abuse prevention and intervention in clinical and community-based settings

Intended Audience:This program is designed for program directors and direct service staff who work with adolescents (both young women and young men). It will provide a framework that is new to southwestern Pennsylvania, but has proven effective in other regions. About the presenter:Dr. Elizabeth Miller is Chief of Adolescent Medicine at Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Trained in medical anthropology as well as Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Miller’s research has included examination of sex trafficking among adolescents in Asia, teen dating abuse, and reproductive health, with a focus on underserved youth populations including pregnant and parenting teens, foster, homeless, and gang-affiliated youth. Her current research focuses on the impact of gender-based violence on young women’s reproductive health. She has participated in numerous legislative hearings related to protecting adolescent confidentiality, adolescent reproductive health, and dating abuse. Her work on reproductive coercion and birth control sabotage has been featured in the New York Times, and she was also on the Oprah Winfrey show as a national expert on teen dating violence (at the time Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna). She has conducted research in partnership with Planned Parenthood in Northern California (funded by the National Institutes of Health), pilot testing a brief clinical intervention to address partner violence and reproductive coercion in reproductive health care settings, which has led to a large NIH-funded randomized trial in Western Pennsylvania. In addition, she is conducting a study of a sexual violence prevention program entitled “Coaching Boys into Men” which involves training high school coaches to talk to their male athletes about stopping violence against women, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She is also involved in projects to reduce gender-based violence and improve women’s health in India, Japan, and Kenya.

Cost is $10 (Fee is for full or parcel attendance. Lunch is NOT included.)Payments can be made online or mailed to:PA Coalition Against Rape125 N Enola DriveEnola, PA 17025Attn: Fiscal Dept - Trafficking TrainingRegistration Deadline is Monday, September 24th, 2012.

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